The Only One I See: Ereri
by ScarletSutcliff
Summary: Levi didn't believe in love; either did Eren. But will their opinions change when the two meet? Follow these troubled teens on their journey of love, acceptance, and past experiences. High school AU. Favorites, follows, and reviews are greatly appreciated.
1. Levi

Levi took a long drag from his cigarette, holding the smoke in his lungs. He blew it in the face of the freshman girl in front of him. She giggled in a sad attempt not to cough. She and her flock of first-years had been following Levi around for quite a while now. He knew why. He was a flirt, a bad boy, a forbidden fruit of sorts. He was the king of leading girls on, especially the freshman. The upperclassmen girls knew of his reputation and most stayed their distance. But the younger girls were so... _inexperienced_. They thought they could break the wild mustang known as Levi Ackerman. They thought they would be the ones to soften his heart and ease his pain. Levi snorted at the thought. As if. These girls were much too easy. They would give him anything he wanted. Money? Sure. Nude pictures? Not a problem. Sex? They would have their clothes off before he even asked them. And for what? The love of a boy who they would never have? It was effortless. Levi wanted girls, then wanted them gone. All of them leaving him with the empty satisfaction of no strings attached pleasure.

"Listen, Mila."

"It's Mina," she giggled, not even bothered by the fact that he didn't remember her name. Levi snaked a hand behind the girl's short, black pigtails and around the back of her neck.

"It's almost the end of my senior year. I need to step up, get better gardes, start looking at collages, you know? I don't think we should see each other anymore, okay?" Levi continued. All of this was a lie, of corse. Levi didn't have bad grades, although he liked to lead on that he did, for these exact situations. As for colleges, a 33 on the ACT promises Levi a front seat ride to any college he wanted. He was golden.

Levi put his forehead to hers, not because he didn't want to see her sad eyes, but because he was almost annoyed by her quivering lip. Too bad he still had to hear her pathetic sniffling.

"But we-"

"I know we did, and it was wonderful, but we both need to start thinking about our futures. You understand," Levi asked, effortlessly acting like he was concerned. Levi had getting, using, and breaking up with girls to a _science_. "Right?" Mina pulled away abruptly, tears in her eyes. She ran away crying. Levi slid the cigarette back in its rightful place between his lips and leaned against the brick wall behind him. _How tedious_ he thought, finishing off the last of his cigarette.

"Breaking hearts and taking names, I see," said Hange, skipping up beside the troubled teen, the chains hanging from her hips clanging with every step.

"Yup," Levi said dryly, flicking the butt of his cigarette onto the ground and crushing it beneth his foot. Hange was... different, and not just rdifferent from everyone else. She was different from herself. Every week a new phase. Dressy, scene, grunge. This week's theme was Goth, which is why it was almost humorous watching her skip towards him. Hange was preppy. She enjoyed football games, assemblies, and parades, everything that would make a real grunge (especially Levi) cringe. The only reason that he even hung out with Hange was because they had been friends even before Levi's bad boy days. She was the kind of friend that, no matter how hard you tried, you could never get rid of them. Plus, his inner circle friends seemed to be amused by her, so that helped.

"You know, one day you're going to lay your eyes on someone and there will be music and angels and you won't see anyone else but them!" Hange giggled, imagining the scenario, "You're not gonna know what to do with yourself."

Levi allowed himself to smile a bit. Hange definitely had a way of putting things in perspective. Her idea of love and his were two very different things. Her's was all rainbows and hugs and Levi's was, well, non-existent. He didn't have an opinion of love; he didn't really believe in it. He might have at one time, but after three years of sleeping with girls and receiving nothing but empty pleasure, he began to believe that love was only a bedtime story, told to us by parents who had or will, in all likelihood, be divorced.

...

Levi and Hange made their way to the lunch table, trays in hand. On today's menu was meat substitute surprise and something green. While Hange sat to his left and began devouring her something green, Levi looked the other way. Hange had always been a messy eater and he had always had a weak stomach.

To his left, a few tables over, was Mina and her friends glaring daggers his way. Levi rolled his eyes and looked around the table. To his left was Hange, who was currently attempting to suck the spilled lime colored paste off her leather vest. Next was Ymir. She was a junior who was currently winking at a short blond girl across the cafeteria.

Petra was next. She was the only first year allowed into the inner circle, also known to outsiders as "The Levi Squad." She may seem like an innocent little girl, but get on her bad side and you'll wish you hadn't. Once, Oluo had whispered something rather inappropriate in her little ear. She punched him so hard that he bit off the tip of his tongue. That's when Oluo himself had started bringing her around.

"She'll be a kick-ass addition to the Levi Squad," he had said, "Not to mention a hot one." That earned him a sharp jab in the crouch from Petra's knee. She's was accepted fairly quickly.

Which brings us to Oluo. He was a junior, like Ymir. He was also a self-centered, arrogant son of a bitch... also somewhat like Ymir. Most of all, he was Levi's least favorite. The spark of his hatred for Oluo, Levi thought, had been when he tried to pick up Hange their sophomore year. At first Levi was worried, but after going on one date with her, the situation had resolved itself. She could definitely handle boys alone. Other than that, Levi didn't know why he had a problem with him. Oluo used girls just like he did, or tried to at least. Maybe it was his sloppy way of doing it. Half the time, he wouldn't even get the girl. He would just end up with a red cheek and a sore crotch. His way of dumping them was even worse. He would just stop talking to them in hopes that they would take the hint. Even Levi didn't stoop that low. He knew that he needed to give girls a straight answer and tell them that it was over.

The others were Gunter and Eld, the seniors. They were pretty cool guys. They didn't cause trouble; they didn't start anything. They just made good company, especially for the not-so-talkative Levi.

Levi picked at his meat substitute and stared off into space. He thought about what Hange had said earlier. What she said about love at first sight. It seemed so farfetched. Just think about it. You're sitting anywhere, like here at a lunch table. You're doing anything, like staring off into space. You look across the cafeteria and...

There they were...

He was tall, for what Levi guessed was a freshman. His hair was light brown and shaggy. His cheeks were puffy with food when he smiled. He tried to keep his mouth closed as he laughed, making his nose crinkle adorably. His best feature was his soft green eyes. Levi didn't know about music or angels or any of that, but one thing Hange said was definitely true.

He couldn't see anyone else but him.


	2. Eren

"Hey Loser!"

Eren didn't even have time to brace himself before he was forcibly slammed up against a row of tightly packed lockers. Mikasa flinched. Times like this were when Eren was glad that he was tall. If he wasn't, he might be pushed inside the locker instead of just up against it.

"I saw you trying to look off my paper in Algebra today. What? Is addition to hard for you?" He and his gang of goons laughed, all except one freckled brunette who looked very uncomfortable. Eren pressed himself further into the lockers, trying to make himself disappear. "You're such an idiot."

"Get the hell away from him," growled Mikasa. She was always quick to retort, even if it got her into trouble. The bully stayed silent, glaring at her but not making a move. Eren knew he wouldn't touch her; they were only there for him. He knew why, too. Without another word, Eren's books were ripped from his grasp. He watched helplessly as they fell to the floor.

"What? It's not like you'll ever use them. I'd be surprised if you could actually read."

"I wasn't cheating," Eren wispered, then instantly regretted it. He knew better than to try and defend himself. He took Eren's shoulders and slammed him back into the lockers again. This constant harassment didn't even hurt anymore. It was just plain tedious.

He lowered his voice to a whisper so that only Eren would hear, "What? Were you eyeing me up, then? Don't think I forgot. You're just a little faggot."

"Jean," said the freckled jock from before. He was standing directly behind Eren's antagonizer. Jean looked mortified as he came to the realization that his friend had heard what he had said. Jean's friend almost looked as if he himself was hurt by the retort, "Lay off." Jeans face turned fifty different shades of pink, eventually settling on a sharp fire engine red.

"Macro," Jean's voice cracked before muttering a string of almost inaudibly apologies. He chased Marco all the way down the corridor, head sunken and sad. Mikasa quickly gathered his books and handed them over.

"Are you alright?" Mikasa asked.

"I'm fine," Eren answered, "What about you?"

"I'm okay," she said, then began turning pink. Eren knew what that meant and smiled slightly. Anytime Mikasa's face reddened, she was about to rant, "I can't believe it! We've only been here a week and we're already labeled," she huffed. Eren couldn't help but smirk. Mikasa had a tendency of making his problems her problems. Eren didn't worry about her nearly as much as she worried about him. He knew she could handle herself just fine. Before they began school here, Mikasa had sent in forms to join several different sports teams: softball, basketball, volleyball, track, and even golf. Mikasa was a female jock, and that's what she had been labeled as. Not a loser. The loser here was Eren. He was six feet of lame, lanky loser. Between his thick glasses, his dorky braces, and his mid-puberty voice, he was all-around... well, awkward. It was no wonder he was picked on by the meat walls that were also known as the football players.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Mikasa asked, tilting her head to the side a bit.

"Just thinking. Come on. It's lunch time."

...

Eren set down his tray, Mikasa by his side. They had made a few friends since they had been here, and they were nice enough to invite them to sit with them at lunch.

Armin was Eren's first friend, not just at this school but ever. The two had been friends since they were children. He had lived in the same neighborhood as Armin before his mom passed. After he was put in a foster home, he was moved and had not spoken to Armin until he saw him walking the halls on his first day of school. Luckily, his newest foster family lived in the district. Eren was happy to see his best friend again. Armin was the smartest freshman Eren knew. He was good under pressure and was always there for Eren when he needed him. God, had they missed each other.

"Hey! Give me some of that!" Connie yelled, grabbing at the bag of potato chips that Sasha had just opened. She held the bag close to her chest as Connie attempted to tackle her. Before long, they were in a full out tug-of-war match over the bag. Eren was pretty sure that Sasha had been pulling the bag with her teeth at one point. Armin pressed two fingers to him temple in annoyance. Eren laughed, almost spitting out his mouthful of food.

Connie and Sasha were... entertaining, to say the least. They were loud, obnoxious, hungry all the time, and absolutely, positively a riot. They always knew how to make their friends laugh. It's what made them so compatible. Eren secretly hoped that they would get together.

Last was Christa. She was quiet, sweet, and very thoughtful. Sasha thought of her as a god because once, after she ran the mile for gym class, Christa had brought her food and water. She was currently blushing like mad while looking across the cafeteria at a freckled girl in a brown ponytail. She didn't look like anything special, but the boy behind her did.

There was perfection clad in black skinny jeans and lip piercings. His black hair swooped over his face perfectly, casting a shadow over his already shadowy eyes. He was mysterious and beautiful and utterly enticing. Eren sat there staring.

And there he was... staring right back at him.


	3. Hearts That Lie

As their eyes met, Levi looked away nonchalantly, as if he didn't even notice he was staring. He looked down into his milk with muddled thoughts. Was he getting sick? His head felt light, his feet felt heavy, and he had this uncontrollable urge to puke. Levi must have looked as sick as he felt because soon enough Hange waved her painted black fingernails in front of his face and said, "Earth to Levi, come in Levi." He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Yeah. What? What do you want?"

"Whoa, calm down. What were you staring at, anyways? You look like you've just seen a ghost," Hange sat up tall so she could see in the direction that Levi was looking. The first thing she noticed was the freshman boy who still had his eyes glued to their table. Her eyes turned to miscevious slits behind her glasses as she looked at her pessimistic friend, "Or was it an angel?"

"Piss off," Levi snapped, picking up his tray. The rest of the table was staring now.

"Hey, where are you going?" Hange asked.

"Away from here."

...

Levi quickly slipped into the library. No one important would be here in the middle of lunch so no one could catch him. He moved fast, grabbing the book that he wanted and sitting at a table near the back. _Hearts That Lie: A collection of poems by Paige Schneider_ Levi read. He had done a very sound job of keeping his love of poetry under wrap. It was his personal goal to finish every poetry book in the library. Since the beginning of this year he had made it all the way to the S's. He hoped to finish by the end of the year. He open to the first poem. It had an unsurprising title: _Hearts That Lie_.

_What should I do when my heart lies?_

_Pretends to rest dormant_

_Then leads me to what is bad_

_Ignoring what is good_

_Should I listen?_

_To my heart or to my head_

_There are so many different ways_

_To portray mind over matter_

Levi snorted and rolled his eyes. He shut the book and shoved it back on the shelf. What was that even supposed to mean? There are different ways that a heart can lie. Lie means to rest, right? Levi grabbed a dictionary from another shelf and looked for the word.

_Lie_

_verb_

_1)(of a person or animal) be in or assume a horizontal or resting position on a supporting surface._

Levi let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure why. He knew what sense of the word it was using, not even a dictionary could prove it wrong. Lie... as in to lie. To someone. To something. About someone or something. Why did he not want hearts to lie?

It seemed kind of cruel in Levi's eyes. You get this overwhelming sense of certainty about someone then it turns out that they were a liar or a cheater or a jerk. Levi had certainly done that to girls. But what would happen if someone had done that to that boy at lunch?

Suddenly Levi felt as if he might vomit again. What about that boy made Levi's stomach turn inside out. His palms were sweatier than they had been in a while and his heart was beating rather fast. The worst part was that he sort of... liked it. It felt nice to think about the brunette first year. They weren't lustful thoughts. For the first time in forever Levi wanted someone in the most innocent way.

He shook his head. No. He did not want anyone. This was merely a fluke. In the words of Ebenezer Scrooge 'There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are.'

Before departing for advisory he reluctantly grabbed _Hearts That Lie_ back off the shelf.

...

"Heart lies... rest dormant... good bad...," Levi muttered, reading quickly, "Mind over matter."

"The hell are you reading?" Oluo asked, attempting to sneak a look at the book that Levi was so preciously guarding.

"A book for Language Arts. Don't worry about it," Levi snapped. Oluo didn't seem to notice his harsh tone.

"We're not reading any book in Language Arts."

"That's because I'm not in special classes."

"I thought we had the same teacher. Are you in an advanced class, Levi?" Oluo inquired annoyingly.

"No."

Just then the door opened and a black haired girl walked in. Levi thought he had seen her before but he couldn't place where. She wore running shorts and a t-shirt displaying his schools track team logo. She quietly spoke to Mr. Pixis, Levi's advisor and a freshman math teacher. He nodded eagerly and tilted his head the raven haired boys way. Then, what Levi had to guess, freshman girl approached his desk.

"Hi, my names Mikasa. My brother and I just transferred to this school and we need a little catching up on this chapters Algebra notes and homework. Mr. Pixis said that you wouldn't mind tutoring us," she said the last sentence as more of a question. Levi glared at his teacher for volunteering his for an activity in which he despised. Mr. Pixis only smiled.

"What? Levi tutors?" Oluo leaned back in his chair and laughed. Levi ignored the urge to drop his Calculus book on his frienemy's testicles.

"I don't know about wouldn't mind," he mumbled, "We can get started right after school," Levi looked around the room, "Where's your brother?"

Just as he finished the sentence he opened the door. He looked him from bottom to top. Ratty tennis shoes, long legs, cargo shorts, a grey, long sleeve shirt, and a smile so bright he had to close his own eyes. It was him, the boy from lunch. So that's where he'd seen Mikasa before.

His eyes went from happy to the floor as soon as he opened them. _One look of me is enough to scare him_ Levi thought. He was surprised by the sad pang in his chest.

"Eren, this is..." Mikasa stopped to think, "I'm sorry. What did you say your name was?"

"Levi," he almost whispered, not looking at the girl talking to him but at the boy, who Levi knew now was named Eren.

"Levi is going to tutor us," Mikasa said happily. Eren shifted his weight from foot to foot awkwardly. Levi forced back a smile. Even while embarrassed, he was still adorable. _What the hell, Levi?_ He thought to himself, _you're not even gay_.

"We start after school," Levi said matter-of-factly, "Bring your books."


	4. More than just Tutors

"3x+9=24," Eren read aloud as he transferred the problem from his text book to his paper. He stared at it for a minute before his face grew red from frustration. He pushed his notebook and pencils from the desk in a rage quit. "How am I even supposed to know that 3x+9=24 if they don't even tell me x it?!"

"I think that's the point of the assignment," Mikasa said calmly pointing to the directions in the book, "to find x."

"Well how am I supposed to do that?" Eren huffed.

"Calm down, Eren. It isn't our fault we transferred half way into the year. We just need some help. How about we ask someone upperclassmen to tutor us? I have about a half hour after school before volleyball practice starts, maybe they'd be willing to help for a few minutes."

Eren sunk into his chair and pouted. Mikasa didn't need a tutor, she was already half way done with her work and he was still on the first problem. Eren was almost jealous of her at times. Mikasa was so outgoing and smart and popular. At our last school someone would almost inevitably confess their undying love for her each week. She turned them all down. All anyone ever confessed to Eren was how much of a "faggot" or a "queer" he was. As if he didn't already know.

"Yeah whatever," he sighed, rolling his eyes. Despite his reaction, he was actually somewhat looking forward to having an upperclassmen tutor him. He knew this sounded selfish but maybe having an older friend would raise his social standing and the jocks would quit picking on him so much.

...

It was Eren's job to find Mikasa and him a Language Arts and Science tutor. He would have choose Armin over anyone to tutor him, but he felt embarrassed to ask his best friend and the smartest freshman in school for help on the simplest things like slope intercept from. He was afraid that Armin would look down on him.

Eren had a very interesting time finding a science tutor. He had found a girl named Hange who seemed oddly happy to see him. She kept rambling on about lunch and angels and music and some guy named Levi. He had tuned out for most of that. Then she would randomly point out a "fascinating" physical trait of Eren's, almost as if she wanted to run experiments on him just to see if he was real. She was a little crazy but apparently she was the biggest science nerd in school, and that was good enough for Eren.

Finding a Language Arts tutor was not such a fun time. As soon as he walked into the teachers room he was automatically pelted with a spit ball, almost like crossing the invisible wire between the hallway and the classroom activated a wet, slimy booby trap. He looked around for the culprit. Sure enough, there was Jean, laughing hysterically.

Ignoring him, he went to ask the teacher for a tutor.

"He's not a strait A student but he does need tutoring hours," said the teacher. _Please don't say it _Eren thought. _Don't say Jean. Don't say Jean. Don't say,_ "Jean! How would you feel about tutoring Eren, here?" Jean first looked surprised, then his faced morphed into a Grinch-like smirk.

"No problem," hummed Jean, taking Eren by the shoulders, "I'll take good care of him."

It was times like this when Eren really wished that he had joined track with Mikasa because he had booked it out of that room fast enough to win himself a first place medal. The tutoring was still on, sadly enough, but at least he didn't have to meet with him until next week. Eren made his way to Mr. Pixis's room where Mikasa said to meet her. He was curious to see who she had found to tutor them in algebra. He hoped it wasn't another wing-nut.

He opened the door and his eyes shot strait to the floor. One look of him was enough to get Eren blushing. There was the boy from lunch, the one whose rippling muscles were wrapped tight in a black t-shirt and jeans. His hair was as dismantled and lovely as it was just a few hours ago, his eyes just as mysterious. He continued to stare at the ground.

"Hey Eren! This is..." Mikasa paused, turning to the raven boy, "I'm sorry. What did you say your name was?"

"Levi," his voice was and was not exactly what Eren expected it to be. He knew it would be low but he didn't know that it would send chills up his spine. Eren could feel his eyes burning into him. He wished he had listened to more of what Hange had said about him.

"Levi is going to tutor us," Mikasa said happily. Eren shifted his weight from foot to foot awkwardly. He tried not to think of the horrible things Levi probably knew him as. Faggot. Queer. Worthless. Bastard.

"We start after school," Levi said matter-of-factly, "Bring your books."

For once, Eren was _not_ excited for school to end.


	5. First Impressions

Levi's first impression of Eren was that he was very shy. Levi found himself doing most of the talking, which was expected. He was tutoring for the boy. The only words from The younger boys mouth were short utterances of frustration. Along with his timidity he was also short-tempered, easily flustered, and very, _very_ impatient. All the opposite of the cool and collected Levi. It made him all the more attracted to him.

He watched as Eren's face grew red with frustration as he erased the same problem for the fifth time. He gripped his pencil so tight that all of the blood in his knuckles was drained, leaving them a ghostly white, an extreme diversity from his naturally tan skin. Levi smirked. Eren had done the problem right the first time, he just didn't believe in himself. He reached over the table to stop him before he erased all his work when Milaksa chimed in.

"Done," she said, double checking her paper, "Just it time, too. I've got volleyball. I'll meet you out front when you're done tutoring, Eren. Good luck!" As his sister left the room, Eren slumped even farther into his chair, a defeated scowl painting his face. It was obvious that he was jealous of Mikasa's ability to pick up new ideas and tactics easily. Too bad he hadn't been checking her work like Levi had.

"Let's try it aga-"

"I don't get it," Eren interrupted. Levi was surprised by his tone, but he stayed calm.

"Yes you do," Levi said pointing to his paper, "We've done a few together. Now, try it on your own." He picked up Eren's pencil and placed it in his hand. Levi swore he could see him shiver slightly. Or maybe Levi was the one shivering. Eren's eyes narrowed, suddenly filled with determination. He completed the problem correctly in forty-five seconds. Eren looked up for a sign of approval.

"I told you," Levi said simply, smiling. "Is it because Mikasa isn't here?"

"What's that suppose to mean?" he snapped defensively. The raven haired boy instantly felt bad. He was used to telling anyone exactly what was on his mind. Levi was _not_ a sensitive person.

"Nothing. I just noticed that you're a lot less tense when she's not around. I think maybe you feel pressured around her because she picks up on things faster than you do," he explained a little softer. He was never one to hold back what he thought or sugarcoat things, but Levi still needed to be honest.

"It's not like that at all. I'm just not very smart."

"Yes you are," Levi encouraged. Eren smiled lightly. Levi felt his heart leap, which was something he hadn't done in years. He pointed to Eren's previous work which had been half erased and abandoned, "You did all of these right." Eren looked surprised.

"But how? Mikasa didn't get these answers."

"She didn't," Levi confirmed, "because she got them wrong." Eren looked even more surprised than before.

"She was probably just in a hurry to get to practice," he said, defending his sister. Levi smiled. No matter what Eren thought, she hadn't done them correct and that was new to him.

They spent another hour finishing up the worksheet. Eren seemed to understand much better. He was able to find x in a slope intercept form with ease now.

"I think Mikasa's volleyball practice is over. I should go meet her," he got up and walked to the door, "Can you tutor me again sometime... maybe without Mikasa?"

"Sure," Levi forced himself to keep a strait face. It wasn't difficult but it wasn't easy either. "Same time next week."

"Great," Eren gave him that heart wrenching smile, "See you then!"

...

Eren's first impression of Levi was that he was intimidating. Mysterious, attractive, and undoubtably one of the scariest people he had ever met. Eren was almost afraid to ask questions. He didn't want Levi to think he was stupid.

For the most part, Eren didn't care what other people thought of him. The bullies and jocks got irritating after a while, but he had gotten used to getting called names and shoved up against locker... Was that bad that he had grown used to that?

There was only people Eren cared enough about to have opinions that mattered to him. Like Armin, for example, he didn't ask his best friend for help because he felt as if he would judge him. After all, with a 5.0 GPA the Arian coconut was unquestionably the smartest freshman in school.

If he had known that Mikasa had chosen the handsome boy who had made heart-racing eye contact with at lunch he would probably have turned it down faster than Mikasa's softball pitching. He didn't know why he didn't want Levi to know of his education struggled, he just did. He valued his opinion and he didn't know why.

Eren watched jealously as Mikasa finished up her assignment. He looked back down at his own work. _Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong_ he thought, referring to his own work in comparison. She didn't even need to check with Levi, she knew she was right.

"Done," Mikasa said, "Just it time, too. I've got volleyball. I'll meet you out front when you're done tutoring, Eren. Good luck!" He slumped in his desk, feeling defeated. Then Levi spoke up.

"Let's try it aga-"

"I don't get it," Eren interrupted. Levi's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't meant to be rude, he was just so frustrated. _I can't do anything right._

"Yes you do," Levi said pointing to his paper, "We've done a few together. Now, try it on your own." Levi reached towards Erens hand, placing his dropped pencil in it. The light brush of Levi's callused fingers against his own was enough to give him shivers. He wondered how Levi's hands had gotten so rough. _I've_ _got to do this right_ Eren thought, getting to work. It took less time than usual to complete the problem.

"I told you," Levi said simply, then added, "Is it because Mikasa isn't here?"

"What's that suppose to mean?" he snapped defensively.

"Nothing. I just noticed that you're a lot less tense when she's not around. I think maybe you feel pressured around her because she picks up on things faster than you do."

"It's not like that at all. I'm just not very smart."

"I think you are," Levi said, pointing to a half erased set of problems, "You did all of these right."

"But how? Mikasa didn't get these answers?"

"She didn't," Levi confirmed, "because she got them wrong." Eren had surprised himself again. He had gotten answers right that his sister had gotten wrong?

"She was probably just in a hurry to get to practice." Levi helped Eren for another hour. He felt much more comfortable with it. "I think Mikasa's volleyball practice is over. I should go meet her," Eren said, walking to the door, "Can you tutor me again sometime," he paused before adding, "maybe without Mikasa?"

"Sure," Levi answer dryly. Even though his face was solomn, Eren still felt a pang of excitement. "Same time next week."

"Great," he couldn't hold back a smile, "See you then!"


	6. Innocent Ways

He knew it was sappy, but he did it anyways.

_I want you in the most innocent ways_

_I want to see you everyday_

_Hold your hand_

_Touch your face_

Levi smirked before adding the next line.

_Maybe grab your ass someday_

He erased it.

_I want you in the most innocent ways_

_I want to see you everyday_

_Hold your hand_

_Touch your face_

He thought about what the next line should be. He did want to put something about his butt in there. Eren had _the_ nicest butt for a boy. Hell, he had the nicest butt for anyone. The white cargo pants he wore yesterday were not helping his case. Okay, maybe Levi's wants were not completely innocent.

_I want you in the most innocent way_

_I want to see you everyday_

_Hold your hand_

_Touch your face_

_Grab your ass_

_But only if you say_

Okay Levi thought Maybe I can't write poetry. He crumpled up the paper and threw it into the garbage can.

"No throwing things," said Mr. Pixis. He got up and walked to the spot when Levi's failed poetry had bounced off the trash bin. He picked it up and walked to the opposite side of the room. "And if you do," he prepped himself and shot, making nothing but net, "at least make it in the basket." That earned a few chuckles from his classmates but Levi only slouched in his chair.

...

"Levi! Levi! Levi! Levi! Levi!" Hange shouted, bouncing towards the lunch table.

"What?"

"I know who like!" she sang. If everyone at the table- no- the cafeteria, wasn't staring before, they certainly were now.

"What are you talking about? I don't 'like' anyone," Levi said. Which was not a lie. I didn't really know if he did have feelings for Eren or not. Sure, he thought about him all the time, and sure, he wrote the poetry, and sure, any time he saw a disgusting hallway couple making out, his mind always drifted to him... but that didn't mean that he "liked" him...

Right?

"Yes you do," Hange sat down closer to Levi than usual, "You were staring at them yesterday." She paused, squinting her eyes, "They say that people who are in love's pupils dilate up to 67% when they see someone they love. How big we're you're pupils before?" She asked skeptically.

"Woah, Levi's got a love interest? Was it that little black haired fox that you tutored yesterday? She was hot!" Said Oluo. He'd never wanted to punch him in the face so hard.

"No! It's crazy! It's actually her brot-" Hange began. Levi got up abruptly, cutting her off. He exited the cafeteria.

"Her who?" Oluo pried.

"Oh... no one."

"We're you about to say brother?"


	7. Truth or Dare

"Adjective?" Eren whispered. He knew it was wrong but could he really be blamed? Jean hadn't even explained what each of those words had meant. That short weekend between Levi's Friday tutoring and Jean's Monday tutoring was just not long enough.

"Adverb, Dumbass. Why did I even agree to tutor you? It's a lost cause," Jean knocked the books from the desk. Eren muttered an apology. "I was tempted to have you do my homework but I'd rather give it to a Special Ed kid and get _at least_ a C. You suck!" Eren cringed a little. Jean noticed and took the opportunity to make another gay joke. "That's not all you suck," he leaned it close and whispered in the freshman's ear, "Faggot."

...

"Come on, drink it!" said the bubbly voice of a girl who was obviously drunk, "Don't be a puss." Eren sniffed the fizzy liquid suspiciously. It smelled awful, like bad memories. Like pain and tears of a small child. This was the same stuff father used to keep in the basement. The same stuff that made him menacing and violent. The same stuff that left bruises on Eren's face and arms.

Ignoring the uneasy feeling overwhelming his gut, he downed the shot... then another... then another. This was Eren's first party; the last thing he wanted to do was seem ungrateful towards the high schools for letting him, an eight grader, join in on their fun.

Not five minutes later, the young boy was pulled out of a sloppy drunk grindfest called the dance floor and into the middle of an intense game of truth of dare. So far the only damage was a one half naked girl, a couple violently making out, and a messy-haired boy who was really, _really_ high.

"Okay, Eren. I dare you to," the half naked girl paused to hiccup. She put a finger to her chin as if wisely choosing her next words. Not that those words were to come out intelligent due to the vast amount of booze in her blood. "Kiss the most attractive person in this circle." Eren looked around the group. The first thing he noticed was that everyone there was older than him. He knew that the party was mainly high schoolers but the alcohol had temporarily whipped his memory of all obvious details, including the fact that being here was far too risky.

Eren didn't know if it was the alcohol or the age, but everyone looked pretty attractive right about now. Skinny girls in short skits, tall boys in bro tanks. He looked back at the girl who had given him the dare. She was pretty cute. She was also pretty drunk. But with the look on her face and the tone in her voice, she guessed that Eren was going to pick her as the most attractive person. Then Eren looked at the person he actually wanted to kiss.

Jean.

Jean was the freshman boy that had invited him. He was one of the only here who Eren had actually connected with at his temporary middle school. They had hit it off quickly and luckily their friendship had carried over when Jean moved on to high school and Eren had only just started eighth grade. The boy had always had a secret crush on his senpai but was too afraid to tell him. He had invited him to a high school party as sort of a goodbye celebration. Eren was getting moved to another foster family in a new district and this was the last time they were going to get to see each other.

With the alcohol in his system, Jean looked exceptionally handsome. His brown eyes looked exceptionally loving and his lips looked exceptionally kissable. At that moment, Eren was grateful for the booze giving him a boost of confidence. He was grateful for the embarrassing dare. He was grateful for the last chance to show Jean just how much he cared about him.

He leaned sideways (almost falling on top of Jean due to his unstable crossed legs) and laid a sloppy yet loving kiss on the older boys mouth. Eren closed his eyes, scared to see his reaction. He could have sworn that he felt Jean kiss back slightly.

When he pulled away, a crowd of surprised faces had gathered. Someone had even stopped the background music. Apparently they had been kissing longer than Eren had assumed. Jean looked around at the different faces and reactions. His eyes came to rest on Eren's. He expression went through a cycle of surprise, confusion, shock, and finally (after scoping the crowed once word) landing on anger.

"What the hell? Get off me!" Jean pushed Eren away. All of the happy, fuzzy feelings that the alcohol gave him were whipped away with one shove.

"Jean, I..."

"Save it," Jean took Eren by the collar and punched him in the jaw. He squirmed out of his ex-friends grip and ran.

"Who invited that kid? Do you know him?"

"Nope," Eren heard Jean say, "He's just some faggot."

...

Eren ran out the the room crying. It had been bad enough seeing Jean at his new, possibly permanent school. It had been even worse having his ex-friend and past crush taunt him for his actions that took place almost a year ago. Now, the names he called him were triggering painful flashbacks?

Eren ran to the only room he knew to be safe to him. The library. He raced to a secluded table his knew was near the back wall. To his surprise, someone was already occupying his favorite safe spot.

Levi.


	8. Confession

Levi sat down with his book. Flipping open the cover, he stared down at the poem that he had read about a thousand times in the past week. _Hearts That Lie._ He had read it over and over again so many times that he had questioned himself as to why he was even opening the book. It's not like he didn't have it memorized.

Levi didn't know what the significance of this particular poem was. Did he have feelings for Eren? If he did, was he trying to convince himself that his feelings were untrue? Anytime Eren and Levi would accidentally touch in tutoring he would get chills. Anytime Eren gave him that smile that scrunched up his nose, Levi got butterflies. He had never felt this way with any girl. He had only felt lust. Levi thought for a minute. Was it even lust that he felt? Or was it just...

Boredom?

He shut the book and slid down in his chair. What was it about that boy that got Levi so worked up?

And what was it that had Eren so worked up?

Levi could see him weaving through the bookshelves towards him. His eyes were wet and puffy; his breath was hitched and uneven. When Eren finally found the table where Levi was resting, they could see each other's surprise. He forced himself to keep a strait face. Eren, however, did not.

"I'm sorry," Eren chocked out, "I'll leave." He turned and began running again. Levi stood and grabbed his hood.

"Stop it, Brat," he took him by the shoulders and practically dragged him back to the table. "Tell me what's wrong." Levi was surprised by the amount of compassion and care in his own voice.

"It's n-nothing," Eren sniffled. Levi took his sleeveless palm and whipped his damp cheeks. Eren seemed to intake a breath and blush a little. Levi couldn't help but smile.

"It's obviously not nothing. You're crying," Levi stated. Eren took a shaky breath before telling Levi something he had never told anyone out loud, not even himself.

"I'm gay."

Levi sat for a moment in complete and utter shock. On one hand, he was hopeful. Maybe Levi had a chance with Eren after all. On the other hand, he felt for him. He knew what it was like to battle with homosexual tendencies.

Levi must have stared without speaking for too long because Eren burst into tears again, regretting his decision.

"Eren, seriously," Levi said, "Stop crying."

"I c-can't," he sobbed, "Everyone h-hates me. Students hate me. Teachers hate m-me. You hate me. I'm just a f-faggot." Levi was almost beginning to get angry. He picked Eren up and slammed his back into the wall. Both him and Eren winched at the impact.

"Stop it, Eren," Levi growled, "No one hates you. They just don't understand you. But I do. You aren't a label. You are a friendly, generous, intelligent human being who should be treated as such. Being gay doesn't make you different than anyone else." There was an intense silence in the air as Eren soaked in what Levi had said. He loosened his grip on the younger boys shirt but didn't let go. If Levi let go, Eren may disappear. Instead, Eren wrapped his arms tightly around the slightly shorter male and hugged. Levi was surprised. Never before had a simple hug felt so warm or sincere.

"That's the first time anyone's ever said anything like that. I'm so happy someone understands."

"Well, I should understand," Levi smiled, "I'm gay, too."


	9. I Love You

Eren didn't know exactly _why_ he had told him. Maybe he trusted him; maybe he just needed to let it escape before it grew a mouth and ate him from the inside out. All he knew was that his big secret, the one that he had never spoken aloud, not even to himself, was in the possession of someone else.

No. Not just _someone else_. Levi. cool, mysterious, bad boy Levi. He couldn't believe that the most desirable guy in school held his biggest secret.

He couldn't believe that he held Levi's biggest secret, either.

The next day, he felt almost _normal_. Eren wasn't anxious that someone might see him for who he really is. He wasn't nervous to be around others who didn't know (which was everyone). He wasn't even scared of the jocks pushing him into the lockers. He felt a little more free, a little less confined, and a little better off. He felt as if his heart was done lying.

...

"What's this?" Eren asked, pointing at the book that was sitting in front of his raven haired hero. After he was through crying, he sat down and explained the whole story to, who had had currently dubbed his savior, Levi. He had seemed indifferent through most of Eren's story. The only time a prominent emotion surfaced Levi's abnormally cool demeanor was when Eren had told him of the kiss and what happened after. The only thing on Levi's face was the purest mix of jealously and rage. It made Eren oddly happy.

Eren hadn't even thought about why Levi had been in the library until his chest spasms had ceased. He scanned the title.

"_Hearts That Lie_," Levi read aloud. He paused before answering Eren's question, "It's a poetry book."

"You like poetry?" he asked. Levi seemed to tense. "That's nice." He relaxed. "Read me some." Levi thought about his next move carefully. Without even opening the book, he began to speak soulfully.

"_What should I do when my heart lies?_

_Pretends to rest dormant_

_Then leads me to what is bad_

_Ignoring what is good_

_Should I listen?_

_To my heart or to my head_

_There are so many different ways_

_To portray mind over matter..."_

There was a surprised silence in the air, shock wafting from both boys. Levi, for exposing not the first, but the second secret of his in the past five minutes. This insignificant freshman knew things about him that not even Hange knew, or so he guessed she didn't know.

Eren was in shock for the fact that he himself knew these confidential secrets that belonged to the forbidden fruit known as Levi. Even though he had only known him for a week, he felt connected to him in a way no one else was. They were connected by their shared secrets and Eren's despicable past.

"You have that memorized?" Eren asked.

"Yeah," Levi answered, still in complete surprise. He shook it off and began explaining, "I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I was trying to convince myself that some things aren't there when the really are."

"I can't relate to that."

"You shouldn't have to," Levi wispered.

...

"Hey, Eren!" called a voice down the hall. It was different from how that voice usually sounded. The tone that was usually cold and hard was now almost compassionate and apologetic. Eren turned to find the last person he would have imagined baring down the empty hall towards him.

Jean.

"Uh," Eren squeaked, Hi." Jean pushed him into the janitors closet. Eren's head hit the wall and yelped.

"Ow!"

"Sorry!" Jean said. He seemed flustered. Well, he didn't seem flustered, he was flustered. In no other form would Jean be this nice.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to apologize. Listen kid, I'm really sorry about yesterday. I'm even more sorry about what happened at the party. Could you ever forgive me?" Before yesterday Eren would have said something along the lines of, '_Are you crazy? I drunkenly admitted my love for you and you punched me in the face!'_ But after his talk with Levi, he answered with...

"I already have."

Jean in took a sharp breathe and pushed him against the wall. He forced his lips onto the younger boys. Suddenly, Eren was aware of every place that Jean was touching him. His hands on Eren's lower back. Jean's knee between his legs. Lips on lips, skin on skin. Jean pushed their stomachs together, desperate to get closer.

"I love you," Jean growled.

"Jean, I-"

"Say it back!"

"But I-"

"Say it!" Jean leaned down another aggressive kiss but Eren pulled away.

"Wait a minute, would you?" Eren snapped. Jean must have been surprised at Eren's reaction because he pulled away, no part of him touching the younger boy. "What is going on."

"I needed to make it right. I needed to show you that I was sorry."

"So you made out with me?"

"Well, yeah. I guess."

"Listen, Jean. You don't love me and I don't love you. I may have at one point, but not anymore. You were my best friend. Then you hurt me but I forgive you. You don't need to lie to yourself." Eren looked Jean square in the eyes. For once, Eren seemed like the bigger person. He seemed like the one in charge. Jean was about to defend his case but his phone rang. He checked it, a text from Marco. Eren observed Jean's face. He wore a small smile and the same sized blush. Eren had a feeling he knew how to handle this. "Hearts lie, you know." Jean looked up, obviously confused. "They lead you to what is bad, ignoring what is good," Eren said, quoting what Levi's poem had said yesterday in the library, "I'm not saying that I'm bad, but maybe I'm bad for you." He paused, "Jean? Do you love Marco?" Jean's eyes grew from quarters to tennis balls.

"What? Marco? He's," he paused. Eren tried to decided if Jean was trying to find a label for him or not, "He's my best friend."

"It's okay, Jean. I think he cares for you, too."

"You think I don't know that?!" he snapped.

"No, I was just saying..." Eren thought of all the times that Marco had dragged Jean away from torturing him. All the times that Marco had looked lovingly into Jeans eyes, trying to send him any kind of signal.

"I know that Marco loves me," Jean said, "But I also know that I'm not good enough for him. Marco is perfect. I'm just the asshole that breaks people's hearts."

"No, you're not. You are so much more than that. Just because you hurt me once doesn't mean you have to do it to anyone else. I forgive you, Jean. Now it's time you forgive yourself." Jean looked at Eren with a mixture of gratitude and realization. He took him lightly by the shoulders and hugged him.

"Thank you so much, Eren."

Eren had just began to hug back when the door to the janitors closet opened.

"Jean?"

Eren and Jean both looked at the intruder. It was Marco.

"Marco, no. This isn't-" he ran off before Jean could finish. He looked back at Eren.

"Go get him. Make sure you tell him who sent you," Eren smiled. Jean smiled back, then left.


	10. Say my Name

"Say my name," a gravely voice growled. The young boy stayed silent. "Come on, Levi." He lifted his small body with ease, placing him on a flat surface in the storage room. Levi bit his lip to keep from crying out when the older man bit down on his collarbone. "Wear sweaters for the next few days, okay Baby? We don't want anyone to find out how much of a bad boy you've been." Levi nodded swiftly, eyes clamped shut. "Now take it off." Levi kept his eyes closed as he slipped off his clothes. He covered himself, though he didn't know why. It wasn't like this was the first time he had been seen him like this. He grabbed Levi by the wrists and slammed them hard into the ground. "Don't hide yourself from me," the man climbed on top of him, breathing down his neck, "I want to see everything." Levi closed his eyes as he did horrible, unspeakable things to him. "Come on, Levi. Moan for me. Scream my name!" He didn't.

In a way, Levi thought he had won anytime he stayed silent. When he fought against the mans commands, he felt a little more in control. He didn't have to enjoy this. He wouldn't. He was free to feel broken and miserable inside. No one could take that away.

There was only one thing he could to make Levi do whatever he wanted.

"Say my name."

Silence.

"_Say_ my _name_."

More silence. His teacher reached towards his neck and gripped loosely.

"Say it."

Fear cut off Levi's words. He panicked as the man tightened his grip. Levi's face began to darken.

"Come on, Levi. I can't hear you." he pushed onto Levi's trachea harder, kneeling it roughly. He couldn't speak. "Come on, Baby. Levi," he cooed, "Levi... Levi... Levi..."

...

"Levi... Levi... Levi! Wake up!" said a loud, obnoxious voice that obviously belonged to Hange. "Are you planning to sleep all day? You have to tutor today. I know you don't want to miss that." She winked.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Levi yawned. Recently, the raven haired teen hadn't been able to sleep at night. It's not like he wanted to. Recently, every time he slept, he had this weird dream. He didn't know what it meant. It's not like anything like that had ever happened to him before.

"Oh please, I know you like the back of my hand. And to think that day that I say something about love at first sight, you sight your first love!" She giggled.

"What are you talking about?" He knew exactly who she was talking about.

"Eren! The little freshman boy. You've totally got it bad. I've never seen you look or treat anyone like that before. Like that one day when you guys hugged in the library."

"How do you know about that?"

"I hacked the security cameras," Hange said nonchalantly, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Levi guessed, for her, it was.

"That doesn't mean I love him."

"But you admit you have feelings for him."

He paused, "No."

"Whatever," Hange said, "When you wanna stop lying to yourself, you know where to find me."

...

Levi decided to take the outside hallways to tutoring today. It was a beautiful spring afternoon and the wind was only slightly gusty. He made a right turn into his favorite little alcove. Maybe he would take a quick smoke.

"Don't be a pussy, kid," said a familiar voice, "Just take a drag." Levi slipped behind the wall.

"No," the unmistakeable voice of Eren said politely, "Thank you." There was a grunt and Eren shrieked.

"You like that, don't you. You know, you're pretty cute for a faggot." Levi reveled himself. Eren was pushed against the wall in a cage of Oluo's arms. On Eren's neck was a burn mark from the edge of Oluo's cigarette which now hung loosely from his mouth. Eren's eyes were full of tears as he sealed himself further into the wall. The welt at his neck began to redden around the edges. Without speaking, Levi walked over to the pair. He punched Oluo square in the nose.

"What the hell, Levi?!" he cried, holding his probably nose. Blood ran down his face and into his mouth, muffling his words. "You don't care about this little prude, do you?"

"Get out of here," Levi said simply. Oluo glared at him. "I said get out!" He grabbed Levi around the waist and took him the the ground. Levi's head with the first thing to hit. Oluo punched him twice. Once in the jaw; once in the eye. The raven haired male kicked Oluo in the stomach hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Levi stood quickly and held Oluo down with his foot. "Don't touch Hange. Don't touch me. And _do not touch Eren_. Got it?"

...

"It's bad."

"How bad?"

"Black eye," Eren replied, handing him a mirror. Levi's eye was dark and swollen. Even though Oluo looked soft, he had a hell of a fist. "You've really got to be more careful."

"Yeah, I'll try and think a little more about myself while I'm defending you," Levi snapped. Eren shrunk away and he instantly regretted it. He gave Eren an apologetic smile through the mirror.

After the fight, Levi had driven the two back to his house. Eren had cleaned him up and was examining his wounds. He had done very good. He didn't need to ask what he should and shouldn't use or how he should apply it. _Maybe he'll be a doctor_ Levi thought with a smile.

"I think you're neck looks worse than I do." Levi lightly touched Eren's blistering welt. He sucked in a breathe and bit his lip. "Sorry." he said quickly, caressing the back on Eren's neck instead.

"It's okay," Eren paused, "Thank you. For today and the other day and tutoring and just everything... Thank you." Levi smiled. Never had Levi's heart been more vulnerable.

He put an arm around Eren's waist and pulled the younger boy to him, quickly. At first Eren was hesitant and more than a little surprised. He eventually wrapped his arms around Levi's neck. Levi stepped forward a tiny bit, closing up the space between them. Eren tensed suddenly, gripping Levi's neck tightly.

...

"_Say my name."_

...

Levi began to hyperventilate. He pushed Eren away abruptly.

"Levi?"

...

"_Levi. Say my name_."

...

"Are you okay? Did I do something? Levi?!"

...

"_Come on, Baby."_

_..._

"Levi!"

Then he saw black.


	11. Thank You

ren glanced around the corner. The usually full space where the jocks lockers were all coincidentally crammed together was only filled with the soft speaking of two unconfessed lovers. Jean held Marco's hands as they spoke. The freckled boy broke into a smile and grabbed his friend, pulling him into a tight embrace. Jean caught Eren's eye across the room and smiled. His thumb popped up, providing Eren with an inaudible sign that everything had worked out according to plan.

This school was something else. Eren would have never believed that he would share his biggest secret. Nor, would he have believed that both his past and present crushes shared the exact same one.

Jean kissed Marco right on his blushing cheek. Eren hoped that they could someday do that in school instead of just after.

Eren admired the beautiful day as he walked happily through the outdoor hallways. Wednesday was tutoring day and Eren could not wait to see Levi. He turned the corner to him a tall, dirty-blond boy smoking a cigarette. He continued to walk, avoiding eye contact.

"Hey, kid," he called, "Come 'eer." The cigarette in his mouth muffled his sinister voice. Eren had seen him before but he couldn't place where. "I said come 'eer. What are you? Deaf?" Eren slowly approached him. The other boy unexpectedly flipped positions. Eren was now tucked under the other, who was pushing him into the wall. He took the cigarette out of him mouth, blowing smoke as he talked, "The names Oluo. Wanna mess around a little?" Eren coughed and tensed. Oluo had stuck his hand up the younger boys shirt and was now playfully tweaking his nipples. He stuck the cigarette into Erens mouth. "Come on take a hit. It'll loosen you up. Don't be a pussy, kid. Just take a drag." Eren let the stick fall from his lips to the gravel.

"No, thank you." Oluo growled slightly and picked up his cigarette. He slammed the lit end into Eren's neck. The tears came instantly.

"You like that, don't you. You know, you're pretty cute for a faggot." Oluo sneered. Eren snapped his eyes shut.

Suddenly all the weight fell off of him in a thud. Eren opened his eyes to find Oluo and Levi in a not so passionate embrace.

"What the hell, Levi?! You don't care about this little prude, do you?"

"Get out of here," Levi replied with such intensity that it made Eren shudder, "I said get out!" Eren watched helplessly as Oluo took Levi to the ground, landing a punch not only in his jaw, but also on his left eye. Levi kicked Oluo in the stomach and stood up, gaping over him.

"Don't touch Hange, don't touch me, and do not touch Eren. " His voice dropped an octave. He was almost growling now. "Got it?"  
>...<p>

"It's bad," Eren said, dabbing Levi's black eyes with a wet rag. He knew Oluo's second punch would leave a mark.

"How bad?"

"Black eye," Eren handed him a mirror, "You've really got to be more careful."

"Yeah. I'll try and think a little more about myself while I'm defending you." Levi's voice still held a hint of ferocity that made Eren flinch. He must have noticed because he shot the younger boy a small grin on which Eren returned. "I think your neck looks worse than I do." His light touch send spears of pain through Erens neck. "Sorry."

"It's okay, "Eren paused, observing Levi. He felt terrible about what had happened, even if it wasn't his fault. He carefully chose his next words. The only words he could say, "Thank you," he said quietly, "for today and the other day and tutoring and just everything... Thank you."

Suddenly Levi's arms was around his waist and Eren's were around his neck. Levi stepped forwards a tiny bit. This was it. He was about the kiss Levi. His Levi. His whole body tensed from his toes to the fingers around Levi's neck.

Levi pulled away abruptly. His breathing hitched and his eyes darted around the room.

"Levi?" Eren reached out towards him. "Are you okay? Did I do something? Levi?! Levi!"

Then he collapsed.


	12. You're my Home

"He'll be fine. We just need to monitor him over night. He'll be back at school Friday."

Levi attempted to open his eyes, then decided against it. His head hurt too bad and his eyes felt like they'd been glued shut. Where was he?

"Levi? Did you move?" Eren asked innocently. This was worth the pain. He forced his eyes open a little. Intense hospital light flooded his vision. "Levi!" Eren cried happily. No matter how much he loved that boy's voice, the volume was still an issue at the moment. He clamped a palm over his right ear. "Oh... sorry."

"It's fine. What happened?" He tried to sit up, but his lack of strength let Eren easily push him back to the pillows.

"You fainted. Doctor says it has something to do with the fight. I explained the whole thing and you're not in trouble. You may have a minor concussion, though." Levi could see where Eren came from. His eye felt like someone had poured led in the socket. He slouched back down in the hospital bed, if he was going to be here for a while, he might as well get comfortable. "How do you feel?"

"I almost kissed you," Levi said abruptly. This roused a deep blush from Eren, who was not looking at him, but at the floor.

"Yeah."

"Would you have wanted that?" Silence. "Eren," he took his hand trough the boys hair and rested it on the back of his neck. No matter how much pain he had stored in his skull, he knew this was right. No touch from any girl could make him feel this content. No touch from anyone could do that. "Would you?"

"Why?" he asked innocently.

"Why, what?"

"Why me?"

Levi paused for a bit, letting his hand fall. He adjusted himself so that he was staring at the blank, white ceiling. The ceiling that would soon be painted with the greatest colloquialism that his mind had ever come to conjure.

"Hange said something to me a while back. She told me that one day I would find someone. Well, I had already found someone. I had found lots of people. I had found them and gotten bored of them, not even sure why I'd bother to pick them up in the first place. Hange knew that. She also knew how to predict the future apparently because later that day, I looked across the cafeteria and saw you. Mouth full of food, nose all scrunched up," Eren's face darkened with embarrassment, "and I thought you were the most beautiful thing I had ever laid my eyes on. Hange told me that when I saw this someone, I would hear music and see angels. Well, I didn't, but one thing she said was true," Levi turned his head slightly to see Eren, his eyes wide, consuming every word Levi was saying, "You were the only one I saw. Out of all those people you were the only person I saw. Now, after getting to know your personality and learning the in's and out's of you, I'm positive that you will always be the only one I see."

Levi finally looked up at Eren. His eyes were brimming with tears. Eren wasted no time pulling Levi into a tight hug.

"Levi?" Eren asked into Levi's shoulder.

"Yes, Eren?"

"I've never really had a home. My mom died when I was young and my dad was an alcoholic. An abusive one at that. They moved me into foster care when I was four. That's when I met Mikasa. She's been the only constant in my life for these past ten years. She keeps me grounded mostly but at school, she's always busy with sports or friends. I've realized recently that I'm not going to have Mikasa forever. I'm okay with that. She has so much potential that she needs to express. We want different things and I don't want to get in her way. There is one other person that I feel content with, however. Someone who I feel is a home away from a home that I don't have. Someone who, when I'm around them, I feel safe and protected. That's you, Levi. You're my home."

Levi quickly took the boys face in his hands. He wanted Eren's love so terribly it was pathetic. He now knew that Eren wanted the same.

"Visiting time's over," said an incoming nurse.

"Can you give us a second?"

"No, sorry. It's 9:10. Everyone's suppose to be gone at nine. You can see each other Friday. Have a good night."

It was apparent that the nurse was not willing to leave them alone and Eren was not willing to kiss in front of anyone yet. Levi didn't blame him, considering what happened the first time he had kissed someone. He glanced at his off centered nose and wondered what part of Eren's painful past it was from: Jean or his abusive father.

Levi kissed Eren on the cheek before he had time to protest and then laid back down. Eren clutched his blushing cheek, smiled at Levi, and left.


End file.
